Signs with means for removably securing thereon various display indicia



Dec. 15, 1959 D L WHEATON 2,916,839

SIGNS WITH MEANS FOR REMOVABLY SECURING THEREON VARIOUS DISPLAY INDICIA Filed Dec. 17, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent SIGNS WITH MEANS FOR REMOVABLY SECUR- ING THEREON VARIOUS DISPLAY INDICIA Dennis L. WheatomLindsborg, Kans. Application December 17, 1958, Serial No. 781,091

6 Claims. (Cl. 40-143) This invention relates to a novel sign with means for removably mounting intelligence conveying indicia and the like thereon.

'The principal object of the present invention is the provision of novel fastening elements for mounting display devices, letters, figures, and other indicia, for securement within openings in a peg board to facilitate re moval, replacement, and interchangeability thereof.

Another object is to provide a peg board sign upon the face of which display devices, letters and the like may be detachably mounted by means ofnovel fastening elef-ments which securely support the display devices, letters and the like flatly against the board and yet permit easy removal and/ or relocation thereof.

Still another object is the provision of novel fastening elements having means for anchoring the same in the I peripheral edges of display indicia and the like and having fastening element;

Figure 4 is an enlarged end view of the fastening element shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical section through an upper portion of a letter with a fastening element anchored in the edge thereof and extending into one of the peg board holes; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical section through an upper portion of a letter shown mounted upon a comparatively thin peg board.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate like or similar parts throughout the several views, numeral 1 refers generally to a peg board which may be of any suitable material and is provided with a plurality of equally spaced rows of apertures 2 extending therethrough, as best shown in Figures 1, 5 and 6. Thepeg board 1 may assume various shapes to adapt it for use for sign and display purposes.

Variously shaped display devices, elements, letters, symbols, numerals and other indicia are adapted to be mounted on the sign, and this invention is not to be limited to any particular shape of indicia. For example, letters 3, such as shown in Figures 1, 2, 5 and 6 may be employed, which letters may be constructed from a laminated plywood material having fiat rear and front faces so as to flatly engage the outer face of the peg board 1. As each letter or indicia 3 is adapted to be mounted on the peg board in the same manner, except of the letter.

point adjacent its upper end.

Patented Dec. 15, 1959 j 2- for the number of fasteners 4 used, it is only deemed necessary to describe the manner of mounting orfasten- "ice ing one of such letters. Taking the letter R, for example as shown in Fig. 2, one fastener 4 is arranged in the upper peripheral edge thereof, and two fasteners 4 are arranged in the peripheral bottom edges of the twolegs It will, of course, be understood that .a suflicient number of fasteners may be used, depending upon the shape or conformation of the letter or indicia, to securely mount the same on the outer surface of the peg board, as hereinafter described.

Referring particularly to the letter R, it will be noted that a metallic fastener 4 is formed with an inverted substantially U-shaped portion 5 on one end thereof consisting of parallel legs 6 and 7. The outermost leg 6 is serrated or threaded, as at 8, from its lower tip 9 to a While a buttress type thread has been shown, it will be understood that other types of threads may be used. The threaded portion 8 of leg 6 is adapted to be forced downwardly into the upper peripheral edge 10 of the letter R at a point intermediate the front and rear faces 11 and 12 thereof, as best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, so as to frictionally anchor the fastener 4 therein, in which anchored position the bridging portion 6 of the U-shaped portion will overlie the upper edge of the letter and the leg 7 will extend downwardly parallel and adjacent to the rear face 12 thereof. The lower end of the leg 7 is bent rearwardly, as at 13, and thence upwardly and downwardly in the shape of an inverted V offset, as at 14, with the lower end of the leg 14 of the V having a relatively short terminal end portion 15 which is aligned with the portion 13. In lieu of the V shaped construction, a curved or arcuate bend, not shown, may be employed. It will be understood that the fasteners 4 may be suitably arranged in the peripheral edges of the letters so that the rearwardly projecting portions may be aligned and inserted within preselected holes 2 in the peg board. For example, one fastener 4 may be arranged in the upper edge of the letter R, and two fasteners 4 may be the fasteners project beyond the rear face of the peg boardvso that the inverted V offsets function to securely hook the fasteners to the rear peripheral edges of the holes 2* as clearly shown in Figure 6.

Other letters may require a different arrangement of fasteners, such as, the letter T" wherein two fasteners will be arranged in the top of the T and one in the bottom thereof.

When it is desired to mount letters on the peg board illustrated in Figures 1 and 5 to provide a sign, such as the word RATE shown in Figure l, the fasteners 4 are mounted in the various letters, and the latter are then successively applied to the peg board as follows. The three fasteners of the letter R are aligned with the desired openings 2 in the peg board, and the terminal ends 15 and V-portions 14 of the fasteners are then inserted within the openings 2. As the distance between the apex of V-shaped portion 14 and the underside of the rearwardly bent portions 13 and 15 is slightly greater than the diameter of the holes 2, it will be apparent that the V-shaped portions must be forceably pushed into the holes so as to frictionally engage the bores of the holes and thereby retain the fasteners therein. Viewing Figure 5, it will be noted that the V shaped portion will be somewhat flexible so as to flex during insertion within the hole and yet firmly engage the bore and serve as an anchor. This procedure is followed with the remaining letters so that they are appropriately spaced and yet evenly-aligned to present a shown in Figure 5, the projecting ends of the fasteners pleasing appearance. As best are pushed into the holes 2 until the front face of the peg board-engages the legs'7 of the fasteners, in which position, the terminal ends thereof will terminate short of the ends of the holes 2. As best shown in Figure 6,

the projecting free ends of the fasteners are'pushed into and through the holes 2 until the front face of the peg board engages the legs 7 of the fasteners inwhich positions the inverted -V-shaped portions will securely hook the fasteners to the rear peripheral edges of the holes 2*. The letters may be readily removed by grasping :the-same and exerting a pull to remove the ends of the .display elements to :said member, each fastener comprising a U-shaped portion having parallelly extending legs and a rearwardly extending geniculated portion formed integrally with one of said parallel legs of said U-shaped portion, the other one of said legs being serrated and --adapted to be anchored in said display element, each of said rearwardly extending portions being adapted to be inserted into one ofsaid holes for anchoring the display velements on ,said sign member.

2. In a sign of the character described, a flat sign memlber having rows of spaced holes formed therein, display elements, fasteners comprising substantially U-shaped portions and integral rearwardly extending flexible portions, one of the legs of each of said U-shaped portions being threaded and forcibly inserted Within the edges of said display elements, said rearwardly extending portions being offset intermediate their ends whereby said portions will engage with the bores of the holes when inserted therein to frictionally anchor the display elements .on said sign member.

3. In a sign of the character described, a flat sign member having rows of spaced holes formed therein, substantially fiat display elements, metal fasteners comprising substantially U-shaped portions integrally formed with rearwardly extending portions, one of the legs of each of said U-shaped portions being threaded and forcibly inserted within the edges of said display elements, said rearwardly extending portions being bent ,intermediate their ends to provide V-shaped offsets whereby said portions frictionally engage the walls of the holes when inserted therein to anchor the display elements on said sign member.

4. In a sign of the character described, a flat sign member having rows of spaced holes formed therein, substantially fiat display elements, metal fasteners for securing said display elements to said sign member each comprising a substantially U-shaped portion and an integral rearwardly extending flexible portion, one of the legs of each of said U-shaped portions being threaded and adapted to be forcibly inserted within the edge of said display elements, said rearwardly extending portions being bent angularly intermediate their ends to provide offsets whereby said rearwardly extending portions will frictionally engage the rear peripheral edges of the holes when inserted therein to anchor the display elements on' said sign member. 7

5. In a sign of the character described including a peg board having rows of spaced holes formed therein :adapted to receive fasteners to securely retain display elements on said peg board, each fastener comprising a unitary ,member consisting of a U-shaped portion, one of 6. A fastener as set forth in claim 5 wherein said deformed portion in said extension is V-shaped and is disposed within the plane of said U-shapcd portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 896,926 Martel Aug. 25, 1908 2,121,898 Young June 28, 1938 2,202,178 Welles May 28, 1940 2,642,686 Simpson June 23, 1953 2,728,259 Pupitch Dec. 27, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 282,570 Switzerland Oct. 16, 1952 

